2014 Rod and Custom Car Show

In 1964 legendary car customizer and icon Darryl Starbird produced his first Rod and Custom Car Show in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Located in the central United States, the event provided the perfect meeting place for builders and enthusiasts to display their talents. Now in its 50th year, the show has risen from humble beginnings and flourished into one of the premier indoor car shows in the country.

The Darryl Starbird National Rod and Custom Car Show celebrated its half-century mark with a bang. Through its 50 years the show has evolved into one of the largest rod and custom indoor car shows with over 1,000 cars flocking to the event annually, displaying innovation, tradition, and beyond. In addition to the collection of vehicles in attendance, the show combines a plethora of entertainment that spans from Pin-Up contests, freestyle FMX and BMX, a long list of automotive celebrities and icons making appearances, and live bands.
One of the keys to success after these 50 years is the facility that holds the Starbird show, the River Spirit Expo Center. Years ago Tulsa was the oil capital of the world and in 1966 Tulsa built the International Petroleum Exposition Center to hold the largest indoor oil trade show in the country. In total the building spans 448,000 square feet under a column-free cable-suspended roof and the Starbird show utilizes every square foot. Long story short, the building is the ideal place to showcase all that the show has to offer.

This year's 50th anniversary show went back in time and clung to its roots—cars. For nearly 30 years the show featured heads-up monster truck racing at the east end; however this year Starbird dropped the trucks and packed in more rods and customs. In fact, Starbird himself brought out 15 of his own creations with vehicles from each decade of Starbird's lustrous 60-year career. He also debuted his latest creation, a radical '57 Brougham dubbed the "Moonbird," which features a trademark bubbletop. As if the "Moonbird" wasn't enough for the 50th, Starbird went all out to feature the most bubbletopped vehicles in one showing. (Ironically a mark Starbird held at his 50th anniversary show in Wichita, Kansas.) There were a grand total of 11 bubbletop cars in attendance, with two such vehicles being displayed for the first time ever.

For the past 10 years the Tulsa show has also been home to the Go for the Gold award. The award is an exclusive, one-of-a-kind Tulsa award that encourages builders to create a vehicle displaying innovation, execution, design, and engineering with no boundaries; so much so that the award is open to all year, make, and model vehicles. On Friday night the field of entrants is narrowed down to the Fine Nine, and the winner is announced Sunday night. Accompanying the winner is a check for $10,000, one of the largest cash purses in the industry. The unique competition for the award has spawned an annual build off between the greatest craftsmen in the world seeking hot rod immortality as an exclusive member among the Go for the Gold winner's circle.

As if all the aforementioned entrainment and Tulsa exclusives weren't enough, the 17th Annual National Rod and Custom Car Hall of Fame induction was also held at the anniversary celebration. On Friday night of the show the Hall of Fame held its induction at the Hilton Garden Inn to celebrate its newest inductees. The induction was open to any and all who wanted to attend and featured seven well-deserving inductees who have helped pave and preserve the hot rod industry. This year's crop of inductees included: Pat Keating for "Rod/Custom Builder," Harold Murphy for "Rod/Custom Builder," Herb Martinez for "Designer/Artist, "and Dave Shuten for "Builder of the Year." This year's induction also featured new categories "Automotive Journalist/Photographer," the recipient was Tom Vogele; and "Car Collector of the Year," the recipient was Beau Boeckmann. Hot rod and custom icons who have died were also honored at the event in the posthumous circle and this year's inductees included Gil Ayala, Harry Westergard, and Jim Summers. Further honoring the recent inductees, as well as previous inductees, was the Walk of Fame on Saturday during the show. This year, 17 past and present inductees were on hand to sign a free Hall of Fame poster that featured all in attendance. To sum it all up, the 50th annual Tulsa show was quite an extravaganza. Here's a look at the happening, for more information on the show or the Hall of Fame visit darrylstarbird.com.

2/43Henry Ford would be rolling over in his grave if he feasted his eyes upon this bright shade of Porsche Green applied to Jan Coe's Deuce by Rick Starbird. The contrast of tan steelies and interior is the perfect juxtaposition for a subdued, albeit in your face, look.

9/43It may not be Norm Grabowski's "Kookie Kar" parked at the carhop, but this Grabowski-inspired T parked in front of a mock gas station wasn't a bad combo.

16/43Gary Meyer's bubbletop creation "Vampyre" is an all-metal creation between himself and Elden Titus. It took the Go For the Gold win in 2008.

Go For The Gold Winner and The Fine Nine

23/43Now in its 11th year, this year's Go for the Gold award went to Tulsa's own Alan Beers with his '57 Chevy truck built by the Tulsa-based Hot Rod Garage. This chopped, dropped, pancaked hauler featured a handbuilt Fleetside bed and more. Beyond the extensive body mods and flawless Tungsten and Quicksilver paint the attention to detail was something.

Hall Of Fame Induction

33/43The Darryl Starbird National Rod and Custom Car Hall of Fame held its induction on Friday night over the show weekend at the Hilton Garden Inn. The induction is open to anyone who wants to attend, and all those who enter in the Go for the Gold competition.

40/43All of this year's inductees were present and accounted for: However the Hall of Fame acknowledges those who have passed into the Posthumous Hall and this year's inductees were Gil Ayala, Harry Westergard, and Jim Summers, all early trail blazers in the hot rod and custom car scene.